Minutes of Proceedings

In attendance for a presentation on the Northern Ireland Tourist Board website at 10:30am:- 
Mr Michael McCormick, Operations Director, Mr David Roulston, Information Services Manager, Mr Martin Graham, Gulliver Executive and Mr Mick Joseph, IT Specialist.

The meeting opened in public at, 10:15am.

1. Chairperson's business

1.1 Members agreed that the Committee would accept the invitation from MAGNI to visit the Ulster Museum, the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and the Ulster American Folk Park. The Committee Office will organise the visits after the elections in June 2001.

1.2 Members agreed the issue of a press release relating to the presentation by the Northern Ireland Karate-Do Wado-Kai in the Long Gallery on Thursday 3 May at 12:30pm.

1.3 Members noted the response from the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development regarding the effect of disinfectant arrangements put in place to curtail the spread of FMD.

Mr McCarthy joined the meeting at 10:20am.

1.4 Members received copies of the letter from Randalstown Angling Club to Hillmount Properties relating to the Committee's Report on Inland Fisheries.

1.5 Members received copies of the motion put down for next week by the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee and the Finance and Personnel Committee (introduction of a relief package for businesses affected by FMD).

1.6 Members received copies of the Department's breakdown of the funding provided to clubs under the safe sports grounds programme. Members raised the issue of whether the money went directly to clubs or to those who owned the ground eg district councils. Agreed that the topic would be discussed at next week's meeting.

1.7 Members were asked to note their diaries with the date of the Minister's lunch with Jenny Randerson MA, the Welsh Minister for Culture, Sport and the Welsh Language, on Wednesday 13 June in the Members' Dining Room. Agreed that attendance would be confirmed nearer to the time of the event.

1.8 Members agreed five topics for a forward programme of work by Assembly Research.

1.9 Members agreed that the visit to football stadia in Scotland would be put back to September 2001. Members agreed to inform the Committee Office of the dates of their respective council AGMs to enable the Committee Office to progress work on the Committee's proposed visit to Paris and Barcelona.

2. Presentation by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board at 10:30am

2.1 The delegation gave a presentation on the NITB website and answered questions raised by members.

Mr Shannon joined the meeting at 10:40am.

2.2 The delegation accepted an invitation to provide an updated presentation to members at a date to be arranged when they had the opportunity to amend the information contained in pages on the angling product.

3. Minutes of meeting of 5 April 2001

3.1 The minutes of the 5 April were agreed.

4. Matters arising

4.1 Para 1.2: Members were advised that the meeting at Interpoint scheduled for Thursday 31 May 2001 had yet to be finalised. Agreed that members would be introduced to Departmental staff as part of the visit.

4.2 Para 1.7: Agreed that Mr Wilson and Mr ONeill would attend the meeting to be facilitated between Bann System Ltd, UAF and Inland Fisheries on a date to be arranged.

4.3 Para 3.1: Members voiced disappointment that the motion on PricewaterhouseCoopers' research report on football had not yet been re-scheduled for debate.

4.4 Para 3.2: Members were asked to attend a meeting with the Minister on Tuesday 8 May 2001 to discuss the Committee's report into Inland Fisheries, the guidelines on restricting the spread of FMD and the desire for the work of the Committee and the Department to be complementary.

4.5 Para 9.1: Members received copies of a response from the Minister regarding the dispute between Dundonald Ice Hockey Club and the NI Ice Hockey Association and were asked to note the position.

5. Draft Response to Committee of the Centre'sInquiry into appointment of a Children's Commissioner

5.1 A response to the Chairperson of the Committee of the Centre was agreed.

6. Draft response to Committee for Regional Development's Inquiry into Belfast Harbour Commissioners' Titanic Quarter Leases

6.1 A response to the Chairperson of the Regional Development Committee was agreed.

7. Cultural Tourism and the Arts Inquiry

7.1 Members agreed the list of organisations to be called before the Committee to give oral evidence. Staff will begin organising the evidence sessions.

7.2 Members agreed that some evidence sessions would be held on Tuesday mornings.

8. Any other business

8.1 Members agreed to send a letter of congratulations to Janet Grey, the water-skier who performed so well at the World Championships.

8.2 Members were referred to a recent Departmental press statement relating to the forthcoming Review of Community Arts by consultants.

8.3 The Chairperson undertook to raise at the Chairpersons' Liaison Committee the issue of ways of tangibly recognising groups who made presentations to Committees.

8.4 Members agreed that the Committee Office would investigate whether a link from the Department's website to the Assembly's website could be established.

9. Date of next meeting

9.1 The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday 3 May 2001 at 10:15am in Room 152.

The meeting closed at 12:20pm.

E ONeill
Chairperson